Not Alone
by TopazStars
Summary: It's been a year since El went into hiding and she's finally free to live her life. Or so she thought. The Mind Flayer is making its return, and it's not alone. (Mileven) (Slight Jancy)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all! Here is the first chapter of my first Stranger Things fanfic! This begins with Kali reuniting with El, but there is more to it than that. This fic will have Mileven in it as well as a few other ships. Enjoy and please review! :D**

 **\- TopazStars**

* * *

Dottie glanced at Kali, her wide, Cheshire Cat grin fading ever so slightly. Kali knew that Dottie, as well as the rest of the team, had sensed a change in her. Axel's jokes sounded more and more desperate when he spoke to her and Funshine constantly asked if she needed anything. Mick had grown quieter, if that were possible, and instead gave Kali sympathetic looks. They knew. They knew that Janes departure had taken a toll on Kali. She hadn't been the same since she left. Kali, once again, felt that void creeping back into her chest. A void that, like before, revenge couldn't even fill. So instead of continuing her rampage, she assumed she had made her point and stopped hunting the doctors. She expected this act of mercy to heal her, and it did to some extent. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. She had lost her sister. Nothing could repair her after that. The only one who understood, who really knew her, was gone.

Kali rolled over in her sleeping bag and squeezed her eyes shut. Jane had left and taken a piece of her heart with her. Tears rolled down Kali's cheeks. Tears she would never let the team see. Eventually, unrestful sleep took her.

"Kali?" A voice woke her, "Kali!"

"What?" Kali grumbled, slightly opening her eyes.

"We need more supplies." Mick said, standing above Kali, and slightly nudging her shoulder with her foot. Kali clambered out of the bag and got up.

"Sure. We can pick something up on the way." She had finally had enough of this.

"On the way?" Axel asked, the rest of the crew joining them.

"We're going to Indiana." Kali declared. Their faces brightened, though no smile could match Kali's. She was nervous, sure. Jane might still be mad, for all she knew. This had to happen, though. Kali had to see her sister.

* * *

Eleven was watching the boys play D&D in their basement when she felt it. It had been a year since the defeat of the Mind Flayer, and her powers had only grown. She could sense those who were near without seeing them. She knew where they were, if she really focused, without having to use a blindfold.

 _Kali?_ She frowned. She would know her sisters presence anywhere. She was extremely close. She was in Hawkins.

"El?" Mike asked, always seeming to know when something was bothering her. She smiled. Her birth certificate may say "Jane" on it, but to the boys she was "El". They had picked it out for her, her first friends, and so she preferred it too.

"Fine." She nodded. Yes, it had been a year, and yes she was reading dictionaries cover to cover, but her English was still a little shaky.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah..." She tried to make up an excuse, "I'm going to go for a bike ride." She said slowly.

"Do you want us to come with you?" Lucas asked.

"Er- it's fine." El really didn't want her reunion with Kali and the crew to be spent answering their questions. She hadn't told anyone about Kali, and had decided never to mention what her sister almost made her do. She got up from the couch beside Mike and trudged up the stairs. Once out of the basement, it was the parents she had to deal with.

"Where are you going, sweetheart?" Joyce asked from the kitchen.

"Um... just a bike ride." She shrugged.

"To where?" Hopper asked.

"Just around the neighborhood." El lied as she walked away.

"Be safe, Kid! Don't go far!" Hopper called. El picked up her backpack from beside the front door. It held her books and such, but it also held her most prized possession. A walkie-talkie her friends had given her as a gift after she came out of hiding. As she opened the door, she felt Kali getting closer.

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Dottie pouted. They had been in the car for a while, and she was getting impatient as they drove around, searching for Kali's curly haired sister. Kali was also beginning to worry. What if she never found her?

The engine of their new vehicle began sputter, and Axel cursed loudly.

"What's wrong?" Kali asked.

"Something's wrong with the engine!" Their ride was beginning to slow, and he quickly pulled over. They hopped out and looked around. They were in a pretty nice looking neighborhood. Hawkins, she had to admit, was much better than their cold, big city.

"How did that happen? It was perfectly fine!" Fun said worriedly. Kali, by now, was feeling quite hopeless. She ran a hand through her black hair, stressed.

"We'll never find her." She murmured.

"Dont worry," Axe turned towards her, "Shirley will turn up eventually." And as if by magic, there was a quiet voice coming from behind them.

"Sister?" Janes voice was the last thing Kali expected to hear, but the best sound she had ever heard. She spun around, tears filling her eyes.

"Sister." She smiled happily as Jane dropped her bike and raced towards her. Kali wrapped her arms around the smaller girl and buried her face in Janes longer, slightly less curly hair.

They stayed like that for a while before Jane decided to greet the others. She shook Funshines hand, and to their surprise, hugged Axel, Dottie, and Mick. She smiled her brilliant smile at all of them.

"We've missed you Jane-"

"El." She cut Kali off.

"What?"

"My name. It's El."


	2. Chapter 2

"Do you guys know where El is?" Hopper called down into the basement, "Her first day of school is tomorrow and its getting late."

"She said she was going for a bike ride!" Dustin called back up the stairs. Mike reached for his walkie-talkie.

"El? El, come in."

"Mike?" Her voice responded after a moment or two. It wasn't just her voice, though. There were laughs and shouts in the background.

"Yeah, Hopper says you're going home," Mike said, "Are you with someone?"

"Er- I'll be there soon." Eleven answered, ignoring the question. Mike sighed, and waited for her to return.

* * *

"You've gotta go? Already?" Kali asked, disappointed.

"Yes." El murmured. The crew were blasting music in their car and playing cards. Kali and El had found a nice bench to sit on.

"Can we meet again tomorrow?" She asked. El had to think about that. She knew Kali cared about her, but she was also obsessed with revenge. El thought she had been the same, but when she realized that doctor had a family, she froze. Kali, however, did not. She had been cruel in imitating Papa as well.

"Promise no killing?" El asked.

"Promise." Kali grinned.

"Friends don't break promises." El warned.

"Neither do sisters."

* * *

"Nervous?"

"No." El lied as Hopper pulled up to the school.

"You'll be alright," He smiled, "Have fun!" Hopper called as she leaped from the passenger seat and raced towards her friends. She was nervous, of course, but also excited to be considered normal. It was Mike who saw her first and she threw her arms around him. Gagging noises came from their friends, but they only laughed it off as El released him. She greeted the others, following them inside the building for her first real tour of the place. She gave Mike her schedule and let him lead her towards her first class. He was telling her about all of her teachers and complaining about how awful school really was, but her mind drifted to dark eyes and purple hair.

 _Kali._ She took a deep breath. She was meeting her again today at that same little bench. Just Kali, this time. She had promised not to kill anyone while she was in town, and El liked to think she knew when someone was trustworthy. Kali, she knew, would keep her promise.

"El? Are you listening?" Mike's hand on her shoulder woke her from her thoughts.

"Er- of course!"

"What did he just say?" Lucas rolled his eyes. El sputtered, searching for an answer.

"Whats up with you? You were acting funny yesterday too." Mike frowns.

"Funny?"

"I meant strange." He corrected himself.

"Oh."

"So... are you alright?"

"I'm fine." El nodded. Her heart was pounding, though. Between Mikes suspicion and Kali's arrival, she was beyond stressed out.

"Friends don't lie." Mike seemed a little hurt as he said this, and El felt bad, but before she could respond, the bell rang. Mike was swept away in the crowd and El ducked into her classroom. Max was beside her since they both had history as their first period.

"What's _really_ going on?" Max asked as they sat down by a window together. El still wasn't sure she totally trusted Max. They had never hung out just the two of them and El had been rude from the very beginning.

"I wont tell them," Max swears, "Think of this as a way to get closer." El had to admit that their party would work a lot better together once the two of them began getting along. El also just needed someone to vent to, and she knew that Mike, no matter how sweet he was, would try to prevent her from meeting Kali.

"My sister is in town." El blurted.

"Wha- Sister?!" Max's eyes widened.

"Alright, class. Ready to begin?" Their teacher entered the classroom.

* * *

Later during the class period, El was close to falling asleep.

"Hey, I think he's onto you," Max pointed at their teacher, who was eyeing El suspiciously, "You might wanna wake up now."

"So boring-" El gasped. It was beautiful, the way the light reflected off of its glowing, multicolored wings. It landed on El's desk.

"What? What are you looking at?" Max's brow furrowed.

"Y- you don't see it?!"

"See what?"

"The butterfly!" El exclaims, earning her some strange looks from her surrounding classmates.

 _Wait..._ El's head swiveled around to look out the window. Someone was there, but so far away it was nearly impossible to tell who it was.

 _Could it be? Yes!_ Some clouds passed overhead, revealing the sun. Rays of warm light washed over the school, causing the persons long hair to glint an astounding shade of purple.

 _Kali... She's here?_

"Who's that?" Max asked, following her gaze.

"That's her..."

"Here?! Why?!"

"I- I don't know." El's heart was pounding. Was something wrong? She must have been trying to get her attention for a reason, right? El looked back at desk and realized the butterfly had vanished. She raised her hand.

"Er- Can I go to the bathroom?" She asked. Her teacher nodded, and she raced for the door.

* * *

Kali smiled as she let the butterfly disappear. The act was small, and so thankfully no blood dripped from her nose. There was movement at the window. El was coming down to join her. In a matter of seconds, El was racing towards her.

"What's up? Did something happen?!" El was panting by the time she stopped.

"Yeah," Kali grinned, "I just rescued you from hell."

"Seriously?!" El huffed, stomping her foot, "You scared me!"

"What? You thought I was hurt?" Kali laughed, "I'm fine, I can take care of myself."

"Then... why are you here?"

"I want to meet your new family. Your friends." She said, and El was taken aback.

"Really?" Joy was growing in El's expression.

"Yeah," Kali smiled, "They seem... very special to you. Especially your policeman friend. I spoke rudely of him in the past, but he's important to you. They are your family, and so am I. I'd like to meet them."

"I'd love that!" El was ecstatic, "Your friends too?"

"Er- No. Not yet. They're a little too... rambunctious." Kali laughed. That was very true.

"So... tonight?"

"Too soon... I need to time explain this to Hopper. But... what if we met at the arcade tonight? I could introduce you to the party first." El suggested. Kali nodded with a grin.

"See you there." She called as she spun around, walking towards the parking lot. El was beaming as she made her way back to class.


End file.
